Blogs Derek's Tax Blog Tax Reform Linked to Health Care Reform
Should Tax Reform be linked to Health Care Reform? Representative Brian Baird of Washington thinks so. In a guest editorial from yesterday's Seattle Times entitled Time for real reform of health care and taxes, Representative Baird makes the case for taking on not just health care but also the tax system. He would like to eliminate all income and payroll taxes along with all of the current health care tax exemptions & deductions. Among other recommendations, he wants a progressive national sales tax in its place and to replace the estate tax with a tax on inheritance, (no details offered in the editorial, but this article explains it more).
It is hard to image a congress that is having difficulty dealing just with health care will be willing to also tax on tax reform. However, this is still significant since it adds to coming estate tax debate by showing that at least some members of congress believe more wholesale changes are needed instead of the piecemeal approach.